Unitary blowing and suction traveling cleaner for textile mills



Feb. 21, 1967 BLACK, JR 3,304,571

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 SheetsSheet 1 1 967 R. L. BLACK, JR 3,304,571

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 21, 1967 R. L. BLACK, JR 3,304,571

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ROBERT LBLACKJQ.

BY w l ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1967 R. BLACK, JR 3,304,571

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 Sheets-Sheet 4 u L J INVENTORI f1 g= 8 ROBERT L. BLAQKIR ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1967 R. BLACK, JR

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FQR TEXTILE MILLS 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 QC' F'iled Sept. 1, 1965 L NNN I vt INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Feb 21, 1967 R. BLACK, JR

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS :NTUR 2' ROBERT LBLAQK l2 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 1, 1965 ATTORNL-ffki Feb. 21, 1967 R. 1.. BLACK, JR

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 Sheets-Sheet '7 v 40 LH44 457 INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1967 R. 1.. BLACK, JR

3,304,571 UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR' ROBERT L BLAQKJE ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1967 R. 1.. BLACK, JR

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS l4 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Sept. 1, 1965 INVENTOR.

ROBERT LBLAQK, I12.

ATTORNEYS Feb.- 21, 1967 R.-L. BLACK, JR

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Sept. 1, 1965 INVENTOR.

1305521 LBLAQK, IR

ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1967 UNITARY BLOWING AND Filed Sept. 1, 1965 R. L. BLACK, JR 3,304,571

SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS l4 Sheets-Sheet 11 wag/ 200" [V v EL IN VENTO'R I T EQBERT L. BLACKJJR. 117 MM 15%, Jug 1, w d M ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1967 R. L. BLACK, JR 3,304,571

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 INVENTOR: RQBEET L. BLAQKJJ'R.

BYW466IZJ%IMM ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1967 R. L. BLACK, JR

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS I 14 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 Filed Sept. 1, 1965 Z 4% mo OM23 Feb. 21, 1967 R. BLACK, JR 3,304,571

UNITARY BLOWING AND SUCTION TRAVELING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE MILLS Filed Sept. 1, 1965 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 United States Patent 3,304,571 UNITARY BLOWKN G AND SUCTIUN TRAVELING CLEANER FQR TEXTILE MELLS Robert L. r'iiack, .lhn, Charlotte, N.C., assignor to Parks- Cramer Company, Fitchburg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Sept. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 484,298 14 Claims. (Cl. 15-312) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 360,201, filed April 16, 1964 and entitled, Traveling Cleaner for Textile Mills, now abandoned.

This invention relates to an improved unitary overhead mounted pneumatic traveling cleaner combining in a single unit means for blowing fiber waste off of textile machines and means for sucking fiber waste off of the floor supporting the machines.

Pneumatic traveling cleaners for cleaning machines and floors in textile rooms have been well accepted by the textile industry in most industrial countries of the world. Among the better known and most efficient types of traveling cleaner arrangements currently in use is the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,055,038, wherein separate traveling blowing and traveling suction cleaners are arranged in tandem. While cleaner arrangements of this type have been very successful, it will be recognized that advantages can be obtained if the suction cleaning and blowing cleaning means could be combined into a single unit, if this could be accomplished without reducing the efiiciency of either means,

It has been suggested heretofore that a combined suction and blowing cleaner would be advantageous, but the problems involved in making such a cleaner are such that previous combined cleaners have had numerous defects and have lacked some of the advantages and effectiveness obtained with separate blowing and suction cleaners.

A number of problems must be overcome in creating a combined sucking and blowing cleaner. Perhaps the most difiicult problem arises from the fact that the preferred requisites for cleaning by the use of blowing air are substantially and inherently different from the requisites or characteristics of cleaning by the use of suction air. For example, the blowing air should be kept clean and flow in a multiplicity of air streams of sufiicient areas and velocities to penetrate and clean various areas of the textile machinery. A relatively large total air volume is necessarily required for best results. On the other hand, floor cleaning requires sustained strong suction at relatively few suction inlets, thus requiring strong forces, but with considerably less total air volume, to pick up lint and the like from the floor on each side of the machines and convey it to the collection chamber of the traveling cleaner. Sustained operation requires dependable filter cleaning in either case. The dual problems of different air volume requirements and filter cleaning have limited :the effectiveness of prior art types of combination traveling blowing and suction cleaners.

There is also the problem of fan design. A fan having the most efiicient design for producing the blowing air velocities and volumes required for blowing cleaning must be modified if it is to be used to produce the suction air streams for floor cleaning as well. When a single fan has "been used for both floor sucking and blowing, material sucked off of the floor has been collected in a receptacle on the suction side of the fan, but this complicates the problems of filter cleaning and automatic removal of collected waste. If lint and the like picked up by the suction air stream flows through the fan, the fan must be designed to handle the flow of such marepairmen, supply trucks, etc.

3,3fi ifi7i Patented Feb. 21, 1967 terial, with resulting decrease in the efiiciency at the blowing side of the fan. Regardless of the location of the filter, unless some means is provided to keep it clean, the fan and motor must be designed for extra power to produce adequate conveying velocities after the filter becomes partially clogged. When a single fan is used to produce both the suction-cleaning air flow and the'blowing-cleaning air flow, the result is reduced effectiveness of both cleaning functions and with substantially greater horsepower usually required than would be required for independent air systems of equivalent velocity and volume characteristics.

The problem of providing suitable means for filtering lint and the like from the air streams of a combination suction and blowing traveling cleaner has been considerable. Where a single fan is used to produce the suction cleaning air and the blowing cleaning air, the inlet for such fan will be the suction nozzle which passes along the floor and picks up lint (which is relatively dirty and sometimes oily), as well as dust and other dirt from the floor. This relatively dirty material will increase the problem of filtering. Some fine particles of dust, oil or the like pass through the filter to collect on the fan, reducing its efficiency and sometimes changing its air flow characteristics. Material which goes through the fan will be discharged by the blowing air stream onto the textile manufacturing operation, which is of course undesirable. Cleaning of the filter in this type of arrangement is more difficult.

Another problem is that, if the filter becomes clogged, the air flow is reduced which reduces the efiiciency of both the suction and blowing cleaners. Frequently, in known single fan cleaners, as the filter progressively clogs up, there is a rapid reduction in the velocity of the suction air stream to the point that it is no longer sufiicient to convey anything but the very smallest particles or fibers, with the result that heavier or grouped particles of lint and other debris remain on the floor and are not picked up by the suction cleaner. The problem of maintaining a clean filter is considerably greater in a combined suction and blowing cleaner than in separate cleaners of the type heretofore mentioned.

Another problem in the design of a unitary blowing and suction cleaner is the limited space available for the cleaning units. For example, the aisle space between rows of spinning machines is often 30 inches or less in width, thus barely allowing space for machine operators, It is therefore desirable that the flexible cleaning tubes which are moving in this space be as small as possible. There is also a trend toward larger overhanging creels which limits the size of equipment which can be present in this area. Since traveling cleaners are self propelled along trackways extending over rows of machines and curving at the end of each row, it is important that the weight of the cleaner ,be held to a minimum and that the weight be centered over the track to avoid unnecessary swaying and unbalance. In a known type of combined cleaner utilizing a single fan, the requirements for the blowing air stream on 'the discharge side of the fan were such that a much larger suction tube than otherwise desirable had to be used on the intake side.

Previous proposals for a combined suction and blowing cleaner have been of two types. One called for a single fan positioned over the trackway to provide blowing cleaning functions on the discharge side of the fan and floor cleaning functions on the inlet side of the same fan. This type of arrangement has resulted in bulky suction tubes, and low efiiciency relative to horsepower, and the efiectiveness of both the suction and blowing units has been impaired because of the problems set forth above. Another suggestion has been to provide an outrigger type of arrangement utilizing two motors and two sets of blowing and suction fans arranged on horizontal axes with one set on each side of the machine extending over and into the aisle space. This has resulted in a heavy cantilever type of arrangement which is relatively unbalanced and inefiicient. Moreover, no satisfactory filter arrangement has been provided on this type of cleaner.

It is therefore the main object of this invention to provide an improved unitary traveling cleaner combining in a single unit independent means for suction cleaning and lowing cleaning and which overcomes the foregoing problems.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to produce a unitary traveling overhead-mounted pneumatic cleaner utilizing a single motor and two separate air systems. The two separate air systems comprise superposed non-communicating blowing and suction devices each having its own fan or air impeller means.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined suction and blowing traveling cleaner having superposed non-communicating blowing and suction fans mounted on a vertical axis for travel above and along the longitudinal center of rows of textile machines. The suction fan has at least one dependent flexible suction tube extending into the aisle space on each side of the machines and the blowing device also has at least one dependent flexible blowing tube which depends into the aisle space on each side of the machines, but the weight of the unit is substantially centered over the machines and no motors or fans are positioned in or above the aisle space.

It is another object of this invention to provide a unitary combined blowing and suction cleaner of the type described wherein the inlet for the blowing cleaner is spaced above the floor and is provided with means for filtering the incoming air and means for maintaining the filter in a clean condition.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined unitary traveling cleaner of the type described wherein the blowing and suction sections are movable relative to each other about a vertical axis and, if desired, means may also be provided for automatically effecting such relative movement.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the traveling cleaner mounted on an overhead track and including a blowing housing and a suction housing arranged in vertically stacked and relatively angularly rnovable relationship with the blowing and suction tubes thereof being shown in spread-apart positions at opposite sides of the traveling cleaner;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating, in the left-hand portion thereof, how the housings are moved from open to closed position and illustrating, in the righthand portion thereof, how the housings are returned from the closed to the open position;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the traveling cleaner shown in FIGURE 1 showing the track and the housings above a row of textile machines with the suction nozzles positioned adjacent the floor and blowing nozzles directing air currents toward various parts of the textile machines;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the housings of the traveling cleaner in closed position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 in FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through one of the follower devices taken substantially along line 6-6 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the left-hand side of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 9 is a second embodiment of the traveling cleaner of the present invention similar to that shown in FIGURE 1, but wherein the traveling cleaner is especially constructed to be mounted on an overhead crane, portions only of the overhead crane being shown in FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 10 is an end elevation of the traveling cleaner looking upwardly from the bottom of FIGURE 9 showing the housings thereof positioned above a spinning frame representing a row of textile machines, 'but with the lower portions of the dependent tubes broken away;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 11--11 in FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 12 is a somewhat schematic plan view of a portion of a room or bay showing rows of textile machines therein with the crane mounted traveling cleaner in closed position adjacent one end of one of the machine rows;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view similar to FIGURE 9 showing the traveling cleaner in closed position;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in section, taken substantially along line 1414 in FIG- URE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a side elevation, partially in section, taken substantially along line 15-15 in FIGURE 9 with the lower portions of the dependent tubes and adjacent textile machine being broken away, and showing the traveling cleaner in closed position;

FIGURE 15A is an electrical diagram for controlling the closing and opening of the traveling cleaner of FIG- URES 9-15;

FIGURE 16 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the traveling cleaner of the present invention similar to that shown in FIGURE 9, but wherein the traveling cleaner is particularly adapted for use in a weave room and includes a stationary or non-adjustable blowing cleaning section and a pair of relatively angularly movable suction cleaning sections;

FIGURE 17 is a view looking up from the bottom of FIGURE 16 and showing the third embodiment of the traveling cleaner in association with a row of looms;

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 1818 in FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 19 is a top plan view of a fourth embodiment of the invention in which the vertically stacked blowing and suction housings and the collection chambers are maintained in fixed relationship at all times during operation thereof;

FIGURE 20 is a side elevation of the cleaner of FIG- URE 19, but omitting the lower portions of the blowing and suction tubes;

FIGURE 21 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partially sectional view taken substantially along line 2121 in FIG- URE 19 showing a preferred form of filter cleaning means for the blowing cleaning section;

FIGURE 22 is a perspective view looking in the direction of the arrow 22 in FIGURE 19 and showing means for moving the filter past the filter cleaning means, but omitting the suction section; and

FIGURES 23 and 24 are top and bottom perspective views of the respective suction and blowing fans or impellers of FIGURE 21.

Four embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, all of which are directed to a combined unitary traveling cleaner having at least two independent but superposed air flow systems driven by a common motor. The housings and the respective air impeller means of both systems are mounted to travel over the longitudinal center of one or more rows of textile machines. One of the air flow systems has flexible tube means there-on for sucking fiber waste from the aisle space at both sides of the machines, and the other air flow system has tube means thereon for blowing lint and other light material off the machines at both sides thereof and off other surfaces in the mill.

The first, second and third embodiments include superposed relatively adjustable non-communicating suction and blowing housings movable about a common vertical axis, and the fourth embodiment also includes superposed non-communicating suction and blowing housings, but the latter housings remain in fixed relationship. Also, different features are shown in the different embodiments. However, it is to be understood that certain features which may not be shown in association with any one of the embodiments but are shown in association with another or other embodiments may be combined with said one embodiment, if desired.

First embodiment of traveling cleaner The first embodiment of the traveling cleaner of the present invention is particularly devised for use in rooms having spinning frames, twisters and/or roving frames therein and is shown in FIGURES 1 through 8 mounted for movement along a track extending above rows of spinning frames or similar textile machines, such as are indicated at 21, 22 in FIGURE 2, and wherein the portions of track 20 extending over adjacent machine rows 21, 22 are shown interconnected by a track bend 23, as is usual.

The first embodiment of the traveling cleaner is generally designated at A and generally comprises a blowing cleaning section B and a suction cleaning section S including respective blowing and suction housings 25, 26 sealed against intercommunication and between which the volute suction fan portion 27 of the suction housing is positioned. An annular filter-carrying or blowing air inlet housing 33 is provided beneath blowing housing and includes filter means embodied in an annular screen or filter 31 whose lower portion is carried by a plate 32 (FIGURE 5) which encircles and is suitably secured to brackets 33 projecting outwardly from a fan-driving means in the form of an electric motor 34.

It is to be noted that filter 31 separates lint and the like from the air before the air flows past the fan in blowing housing 25 so the fan moves clean air only through the outlet of the blowing housing. Further, filter 31 is located above the textile machines so that the air passing through blowing housing 25 is free from oil and most other impurities normally encountered near the floor. This is in contradistinction to prior art traveling cleaners which utilize the same air for blowing cleaning as is drawn into suction nozzles at the floor. The filter also may be kept clean, to avoid impeding the flow of air through the blowing housing 25, by means of suction and blowing filter-cleaning devices such as will be later described in connection with the fourth embodiment of the invention.

Electric motor 34 is mounted on and serves as a part of a carriage means 35 for the traveling cleaner A. Mounting means for carriage means 35 may include wheels 36 engaging track 20 (FIGURE 8). Carriage drive means is provided and comprises a relatively small electric motor 37 mounted on carriage means 35 in fixed relation to motor 34 and driving one or more of the wheels 36 to propel traveling cleaner A along track 2%. Motor 37 may be of the reversible type, and suitable controls well known in the art may be provided for controlling electric motor 37 to propel traveling cleaner A in either direction along track 269, as desired.

Shaft 40 of electric motor 34 extends upwardly in a substantially vertical position and drives separate impeller means in the form of a pair of rotary impellers or fans 41, 42 fixed on shaft 40 and positioned within the re- 65 spective housings 25, 27. The lower wall of blowing housing 25 is provided with air inlet means including a central opening 43 therethrough of substantially larger diameter than motor 34 and providing communication between annular filter 31 and the interior of housing 25. Housing 25 may be supported for angular movement or adjustment about motor shaft 40 by a support ring 44 fixed to the upper ends of a plurality of posts 45 whose lower ends are suitably secured to bottom plate 32 and brackets 33 (FIGURE 8). Suitable annular bearing races 46, 47 may be provided between the proximal surfaces of housings 25, 30 and support ring 44. Races 46, 47 may be made from any suitable plastic or nonferrous bearing material such as Teflon, brass, bronze, or the like.

To facilitate rotating annular filter 31, the frame thereof may be retained in substantially concentric relation to motor shaft 40 by suitable annular, flanged retaining rims 50, 51 fixed to bottom plate 32 and support ring 44, respectively, and whose outwardly projecting flanges engage annular frame members 52, 53 to which filter 31 may be suitably secured. A suitable annular bearing race 54 may be provided between annular frame member 52 and bottom plate 32. Means is provided for maintaining blowing housing 25 in substantially concentric relation to shaft 4%, comprising an anti-friction bearing 60 (FIG- URES 5 and 8) whose inner race may be positioned between and encircle the hubs of fans 41, 42. The upper wall of blowing housing 25 fits around and in sealing engagement with the outer race of anti-friction bearing 60. In this instance, the upper wall of the central portion of housing 25 is in the form of a removable cover 61 which closes a corresponding opening sufliciently large to permit installation of fan 41 in housing 25. How ever, there is no communication between the interiors of housings 25, 27.

Housings 26 and 27 form a single suction housing which may be separated into the two sections 26 and 27 as illustrated, with section 26 being stationary with respect to motor 34 and serving also to maintain the lower, blowing housing 25 in substantially horizontal position. As best shown in FIGURE 5, suction fan housing 27 may be maintained in fixed relation to and supported by motor 34 by means of laterally opposed substantially C-shaped brackets 65, 66 whose lower portions are suitably secured to motor 34 beneath filter housing 30, whose substantially vertical portions are positioned outwardly of housings 25, 30, and whose upper portions are suitably secured to opposed portions of the side wall of housing 27.

The bottom wall of suction fan housing 27 loosely encircles bearing 60 in close proximity thereto. Since housing 27 is stationary and housing 25 may be angularly adjustable relative to housing 27, a suitable annular bearing race 67 fixed to one or the other of housings 25, 27 may be positioned therebetween. If desired, race 67 may be made in two parts positioned in sliding engagement with each other with one part being secured to housing 27 and the other part being secured to wall 61 of housing 25.

The proximal walls of suction fan housing 27 and suction housing 26 have an air inlet opening 70 therethrough through which air is caused to flow by rotation of suction fan 42 for producing suction, or negative pressure, within housing 26. Housing 26 also may be termed as a suction inlet housing. The upper wall of suction fan housing 27 may be in the form of a removable cover 71 normally closing an opening sufficiently large to permit installation of fan 42 in housing 27. The lower wall of suction housing 26 is suitably secured to an annular retaining member 72, L-shaped in cross-section (FIGURE 8), and whose lower flange engages the lower surface of the upper wall 71 of suction fan housing 27 for maintaining housing 26 in a substantially horizontal position upon housing 27. Annular retaining member 72 may be made from a suitable plastic or non-ferrous bearing material, since it serves to maintain housing 26 in substantially concentric relation with housing 27 and motor shaft 40 while permitting angular adjustment of housing 26 relative to housing 27. Suitable annular bearing means 75 may be provided between the proximal surfaces of the housings 26, 27.

It is thus seen that housings 25, 26, 27 and 30 are supported in stacked relationship by carriage that housings 25, 27 are out of fluid communication with each other; and that housings 25, 26, as well as housing 30, if desired, may be adjusted or moved angularly about the axis of motor shaft while fans 41, 42 are rotated independently of the housings. Therefore, blowing fan 41 may be substantially larger than suction fan 42 and it may be designed to move more air than suction fan 42. This is desirable because considerably more air is usually required to etficiently blow fiber waste off the many machine surfaces than is required to suck fiber waste off the floor.

It is apparent that blowing fan 41 draws air from overhead room areas through filter 31 and exhausts it from housing 25 in a manner to be described, while suction fan 42 draws in air from suction inlet housing 26 and exhausts it from housing 27. This arrangement obviates the necessity of designing blowing fan 41 as a material handling fan, as is necessary in the case of the suction fan 42, since the air entering blowing housing 25 is filtered by filter 31 and is substantially free of lint, thus substantially eliminating the possibility of lint, oil, etc. adhering to or clogging blowing fan 41. This also facilitates balanced air flow through the housings at all times. It is important to note that fans 41, 42 and their housings 25, 27 are arranged in axial superposed relations-hip, thus facilitating compact balanced positioning of the fans and housings above the central portions of the machine rows so blowing and suction tubes may communicate therewith and extend past opposed sides of the textile machines, as will be later described, and so both fans may be driven by the single motor 34 forming part of carriage 35.

Blowing air inlet housing 39 and its filter 31 are preferably of circular configuration in plan, although housing 30 and filter 31 may be of any desired configuration provided that they encompass the vertical plane of opening 43 in the lower wall of blowing housing 25. It is to be noted that filter 31 is located above the textile machines, away from the areas at which most of the fiber waste is generated, so that only relatively clean fibers and fiy are drawn against filter 31. As best shown in FIG- URES 1 and 4, fan housings 25, 27 are of volute form in plan. Suction housing 26 has a pair of elongate, substantially laterally opposed, offset and rigid hollow arms or ducts 3t), 81 projecting outwardly therefrom Whose outer ends curve downwardly and have respective dependent suction tubes 82, 83 connected thereto. The lower ends of suction tubes 82, 83 have respective floor cleaning suction nozzles 84, 8-5 (FIGURES 1, 3 and 4) connected thereto whose inlets or nozzle openings move in close proximity to the surface of the floor F which supports the textile machines. Suction tubes 82, 83 are preferably of flexible construction, and the nozzles 84, 85 :may be of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,036,325, dated May 29, 1962, for example. Nozzles 84, 85 may have suitable spacers 86 thereon for sliding against the floor F and maintaining the nozzle openings in closely spaced relation above the floor F at all times.

Blowing housing 25 also has rigid hollow arms or ducts 90, 91 projecting outwardly therefrom in later-ally opposed offset relationship and curving downwardly at their outer ends for supporting the upper ends of dependent blowing tubes 92, 93, which, like suction tubes 82, 83, are adapted to straddle and move along beside the rows of textile machines. The lower portions of blowing tubes 92, 93 have corresponding vertically arranged and inwardly projecting nozzles 94, 95 thereon adapted to direct streams of air inwardly toward the bobbins and lower parts of the textile machines.

The lower ends of blowing tubes 92, 93 also may terminate in close proximity to floor F and may have respective pairs of nozzle openings 96, 97 therein for directing corresponding streams of air along the floor beneath the machines and along the floor toward the corresponding suction nozzles 84, -85. In so doing, the air flowing from the nozzle openings 97 preferably forms an air shield or barrier extending generally longitudinally with respect to the path of travel of corresponding suction and blowing tubes while the air flowing from nozzle openings 96 directs fiber waste across the floor under the machines and toward the air barriers adjacent the sides of the machines opposite therefrom. Thus, the air barriers then may direct fiber waste toward the corresponding suction nozzles, as is fully disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 307,769 filed September 6, 1963, and entitled Floor Cleaning Method for Textile Mills. The downwardly curved outer ends of blowing ducts 90, 91 may have respective rigid auxiliary blowing tubes 102, 103 communicatively connected to the side walls thereof, which extend downwardly and then inwardly at an angle so the nozzles thereof may move in paths closely adjacent the back of drafting zones of the textile machines. If desired, additional blowing nozzles or blowing tubes may be connected to ducts 90, 91 for directing streams of air toward other parts of the machines, such as the creel, and toward track 20.

During normal operation of traveling cleaner A as it moves along the corresponding row of textile machines, the blowing and suction sections B, S may occupy substantially the positions shown in FIGURE 1 so the blowing and suction tubes 82, 92 and 83, 93 at each side of the textile machines are spaced a considerable distance apart from each other. It is apparent that, regardless of which direction traveling cleaner A moves along track 20, the nozzles of blowing tubes 92, 93, 162, 103 remove lint and other fiber waste from various arts of the textile machines, which fiber waste settles on floor F and is sucked into suction nozzles 84, 85.

As fiber waste is sucked into suction housing 26 and suction fan housing 27, the fiber waste and air is exhausted from suction fan housing 27 through an outlet portion 119 communicatively connected to housing 27 in offset relation thereto. The outlet portion 11% of suction fan housing 27 has a waste collection chamber 111 connected thereto in which the fiber waste is collected as it flows from housing 27 while the air is exhausted from the collection chamber 111 through filter means, such as a filter 112 (FIGURE 3), and into the atmosphere. Thus, collection chamber 111 is at least partially foraminate.

Filter 112 may be in the form of an automatically operable discharge door which may be opened at predetermined intervals for discharging collected fiber Waste from chamber 111 into a suitable receptacle or suction mouthpiece positioned adjacent the path of travel of the traveling cleaner. Collection chamber 111 may be constructed and operated substantially as disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,011,205, dated December 5, 1961, for example. Therefore, a further description of chamber 111 and its filter means is deemed unnecessary.

With suction and blowing tubes 82, 83 and 92, 93 occupying the spread-apart or open condition shown in FIGURE 1 and in solid lines in the left-hand portion of FIGURE 2, traveling cleaner A will operate satisfactorily when it is propelled to and fro along straight sections of overhead track. It will also operate satisfactorily in textile rooms where the aisles at the ends of rows of textile machines are sufficiently wide to permit the traveling cleaner to revolve on its own axis as it moves around bends in the track so the trailing tube at the inside of the bend would not engage or be obstructed by the last machine in a row and so the leading tube on the inside r 9 of the bend would not engage or be obstructed by the first machine in the next succeeding row.

However, it is desirable, in most instances, to position the track bends, such as the bend 23 shown in FIGURE 2, as close as possible to corresponding ends of the machine rows, and this is necessary in instances wherein the space between the ends of the machine rows and the adjacent wall of the textile room is quite limited. Therefore means now will be described for automatically varying the relative positions of the blowing and suction tubes at each side of the traveling cleaner with respect to track 211. In this instance, tubes 82, 83, 92, 93 are movable with the corresponding blowing and suction housings 25, 26 between the spread-apart position shown in FIGURE 1 and a close-together position (FIGURE 4) adjacent an imaginary line extending transversely through the axis of housings 25, 26, 27 and motor shaft 40, which imaginary line may be termed as the mean lateral axis of the traveling cleaner.

Accordingly, ducts 3t), 90 of the respective housings 26, 25 have the distal ends of extensibly adjustable composite links 120, 121 (FIGURES 1, 4 and 7) pivotally connected thereto. Links 120, 121 extend toward each other and their proximal ends are pivotally connected to a follower element 122 extending through a slot 123 in an elongate guide bar 124 suitably secured to or formed integral with C-shaped bracket 65 (FIGURES 1, 4, 7 and 8). Links 120, 121 may each include two threaded parts interconnected by a turnbuckle 126 (FIGURES 1 and 4) to provide for adjusting the desired displacement between suction tubes 82, 83 and the respective blowing tubes 92, 93 when blowing and suction sections B, S occupy open position.

In order to prevent the tubes adjacent the inside of a bend 23 in track 20 from being obstructed by the machines at the ends of the rows 21, 22, for example, when the bend is close to the ends of the machines, the blowing and suction sections B, S are moved from the open position shown in FIGURE 1 to the contracted or closed position shown in FIGURE 4 before the traveling cleaner starts around bend 23 after leaving machine row 21. Conversely, the blowing and suction sections B, S are returned to the open position shown in FIGURE 1 at or about the time that traveling cleaner A leaves the bend on commencing the cleaning of the succeeding machine row 22.

To this end, a cleaner closing cam means 130 may be carried by and project outwardly from a point adjacent the beginning of track bend 23 with respect to the direction of travel of traveling cleaner A, and a cleaner opening cam means 131 may project inwardly from track 20 adjacent the terminal end of bend 23 with respect to the travel of cleaner A. Each cam means 130, 131 may be of rigid construction, and so positioned as to be engaged by respective followers 132, 133 (FIGURE 1) depending from ducts 911, 91 of blowing housing 25.

Each follower 132, 133 may be constructed in the manner in which follower 133 is illustrated in FIGURE 6, wherein follower 133 is shown in the form of a roller on the lower portion of a substantially vertical shaft 135 which extends upwardly through a slotted support 136 and is attached to a plunger 137 guided for sliding movement in support 136. Support 136 may be attached to the bottom wall of duct 91. Follower 133, shaft 135 and plunger 137 are normally biased outwardly by a spring 1419. Corresponding parts associated with follower 132 are biased inwardly toward track 21 In FIGURE 2, ducts 8t), 81, 90, 91 are shown as straight interconnected lines so the closing and opening of traveling cleaner A may be clearly understood. In the left-hand portion of FIGURE 2, tubes 82, 83, 92, 93 are shown in solid lines in the position normally occupied thereby during movement of the traveling cleaner along straight portions of track 29. As traveling cleaner A moves toward track bend 23 in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 1% 2, cam follower 132 is moved against cam means 130, thereby restraining follower 132 from further movement so carriage 35, represented by a circle in FIGURE 2, moves forwardly relative to duct 90, thus swinging blowing duct 91 forwardly at a faster rate than the speed of movement of carriage 35.

At the same time, the proximal ends of the links 120, 121 move outwardly from the position of FIGURE 1 to that of FIGURE 4, thus swinging ducts 80, 81 angularly about the axis of carriage 35 to contract or close the spacing between the traveling cleaner ducts as shown in broken lines in the left-hand portion of FIGURE 2 and in solid lines in FIGURE 4 and in the right-hand portion of FIGURE 2. The contracted position of the ducts may be limited by means, such as a set screw 141 in the outer end of guide bar 124. The contracting action not only swings tubes 82, 83, 92, 93 outwardly so they are further apart laterally of the path of travel of traveling cleaner A, but also positions tubes 82, 83, 92, 93 in close proximity to the mean lateral axis of the traveling cleaner so the tube 93 inwardly of bend 23 will not be swung rearwardly excessively with respect to the path of travel of the traveling cleaner as it revolves about its own axis in traversing the bend 23.

This permits the bend 23 to be positioned closely adjacent corresponding ends of the machine rows without the inner tube 93 being obstructed by the last machine in row 21. When the ducts have been contracted substantially as shown in FIGURE 4, and as shown in broken lines in the left-hand portion of FIGURE 2, follower 132 will have moved outwardly with the corresponding duct so that it will snap past the rounded outer end of cleaner closing cam means 130. The weight of the various parts of traveling cleaner A serves to maintain the cleaner in contracted position during movement thereof along track bend 23.

After traveling cleaner A has moved around track bend 23 sufficiently so that the leading tube 83 inwardly of track bend 23 will not be obstructed by the first machine in row 22, follower 133 engages cam means 131 to return the traveling cleaner to the open position shown in dotted lines in the right-hand portion of FIGURE 2 in substantially the same manner that cam means 1330 moved the traveling cleaner to contracted position as heretofore described.

Second embodiment of the invention The second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 9 through 15A is quite similar to the first embodiment with the exception that traveling cleaner A is particularly arranged to be carried by a crane C movable in a reciprocatory manner above a plurality of rows of textile machines. As shown in FIGURES 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15, crane C may be constructed and operated in substantially the manner described in US. Patent No. 2,812,251, issued November 5, 1957. Also, traveling cleaner A may be indexed to travel over successive rows of textile machines by means such as is disclosed in the latter patent. Accordingly, only a general description of crane C will be given herein and the latter patent may be referred to for further details of the same.

Crane C, which may also be termed as a bridge, comprises transverse I-beams or bridge tracks 159, 151 (FIG- URE 12) suitably rigidly interconnected, as by braces 152. Opposed ends of bridge tracks 151i, 151 are suitably suspended, as by trucks 155 and trolleys 156, below runway rails 153, 154 extending longitudinally of the bay or room substantially parallel to the rows of textile machines. In this instance, five rows of textile machines are shown in FIGURE 12 indicated at R1, R-2, R3, R-4 and R5. Each trolley 156 may include wheels 157 running on the lower flanges of the corresponding runway rails 153, 154 (FIGURES 9, 10 and 15).

A crane drive shaft 161), suitably journaled on the outer portion of bridge track 151, has traction wheels 162 near its ends to engage the undersides of runway rails 153, 154, only one of the traction wheels 162 being shown in FIGURES 9 and 15. A crane propelling means comprises a motor 163 carried by and projecting outwardly from bridge track 151 and being connected to crane drive shaft 160 for rotating the same to propel crane C from one end of the crane runway to the other. Electrical energy may be supplied to motor 163 by means not shown in the present application but being fully disclosed in said Patent No. 2,812,251.

Traveling cleaner A may be supported for movement longitudinally of crane C and transversely of the rows of textile machines by suitable carriage means, such as a carriage broadly designated at 165 and including suitably interconnected frame members 166169 arranged in rectangular form. Frame members 168, 169 may extend upwardly from opposed ends of frame members 166, 167 and straddle the lower portions of bridge tracks 150, 151. Opposed ends of frame members 168, 169 (FIG- URES 9 and 10) may have respective pairs of wheeled trolleys 174, 175 attached thereto and running on the lower flanges of bridge tracks 150, 151. Carriage 165 is provided with a carriage drive shaft 176 which extends forwardly and rearwardly, substantially parallel with and adjacent side frame member 167, and has traction wheels 177 secured thereto near its ends to engage the undersides of bridge tracks 150, 151.

A carriage drive motor 180, suitably secured to the end frame member 169 of carriage 165, is connected to one end of shaft 176 for driving the same. Carriage drive shaft 176 may be journaled in a pair of bearing blocks 182, each of which is attached to a pair of posts 183 (FIGURES 10 and One of the pairs of posts 183 extends upwardly and loosely penetrates frame member 168 and the other pair of posts 183 loosely penetrates frame member 169. Each post 183 may be encircled by a compression spring 184 which bears against a washer 185 held in adjusted position by a lock nut 186 on the upper end of the corresponding post 183. Thus, springs 184 yieldably maintain the traction wheels 177 in engagement with the undersides of bridge tracks 150, 151.

Traveling cleaner A differs primarily from cleaner A in that the housings and motor of traveling cleaner A may he inverted with respect to the housings 25, 26, 27, 3t and motor 34 of FIGURE 8. Thus, where applicable, those parts of traveling cleaner A corresponding substantially to parts of traveling cleaner A will bear the same reference characters with the prime notation added.

As best shown in FIGURE 11, electric motor 34 is positioned above housing of blowing cleaning section B; and a single suction housing is positioned beneath housing 25 and includes a section or housing 26 and a fan section or housing 27. Otherwise, housings 25, 26, 27, 30 are carried by the motor 34 in substantially the same manner in which corresponding housings 25, 26, 27, 30 are carried by motor 34, and a detailed description of this particular arrangement is deemed unnecessary. It should be noted that C-shaped brackets 65, 66 are secured to the upper surface of a suspension plate 198' to which motor 34' also is suitably secured, as by screws 191 (FIGURES 11 and 13).

The major portion of suspension plate 194) is spaced a substantial distance above the level of side frame members 166, 167 of carriage 165, but opposed ends of suspension plate 190 extend downwardly (FIGURE 14) and are suitably secured to side frame members 166, 167.

As is the case with the first embodiment of the invention, housings 25', 27 are of volute form in plan. Substantially laterally opposed air inlet or suction ducts 80, 81 extend from suction housing 26; substantially laterally opposed ducts 90', 91 extend from blowing housing 25; and an outlet portion 110 extends from suction fan housing 27 The downwardly curved outer ends of ducts 80, 81, 90', 91 have dependent tubes 82, 83, 92, 93 connected thereto (FIGURES 10 and 13) arranged in 12 the same manner as and serving the same purpose as tubes 82, 83, 92, 93 of the first embodiment of the invention.

The reason why the housing arrangement of traveling cleaner A is inverted with respect to that of traveling cleaner A is so that the ducts 81, 91 may clear the frame of carriage 165 while maintaining the central portion of traveling cleaner A on a high level suflicient to clear the upper portions of the textile machines, even though the textile room may have a relatively low ceiling.

It may be observed in FIGURES 10 and 14, for example,

that although the ducts 80, 81 are substantially straight, the medial portions of ducts 90, 91 curve downwardly and then outwardly so the outer portions and downwardly curved outer ends thereof may be positioned below frame members 166, 167. Also, outlet portion of suction fan housing 27 curves downwardly and then outwardly so collection chamber 111 is positioned on substantially the same level as suction housing 26. The downwardly curved outer end portions of ducts 90, 91 may be provided with auxiliary blowing tubes 102, 103 which are similar to auxiliary blowing tubes 102, 103 of FIGURE 1.

Electrical energy may be directed to motors 34, 180 by means such as is disclosed in said US. Patent No. 2,812,251 for supplying electrical energy to and controlling the operation of the respective electric motors 29 and P disclosed therein. Accordingly, details of the electrical circuits for electric motors 34', 180 will not be described herein.

In operation, ducts 80, 81, 90', 91 occupy the spreadapart or open position shown in FIGURE 9 as crane C is propelled along runway rails 153, 154, and during which the traveling cleaner moves along the path substantially as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 12. As crane C reaches either end of the machine rows R-l through R5, crane propelling motor 163 (FIGURE 9) stops driving shaft so crane C comes to rest momentarily. While crane C is at rest at either end of the machine rows, carriage indexing motor 180 may be energized to move carriage from adjacent the end of one row of machines to a position adjacent the end of another row preparatory to another movement being imparted to the crane C longitudinally of the machine rows.

Since the distance between the suction and blowing tubes at each side of traveling cleaner A may be substantially greater than the distance between endmost machines in the rows and the adjacent walls of the room in which they are positioned, means are provided for angularly adjusting blowing and suction cleaning sections B, S so their ducts occupy a contracted or closed position as shown in FIGURES 12 and 13. The contracting and opening of traveling cleaner A may be effected by substantially the same means as that used and described heretofore for contracting and opening traveling cleaner A. However, in the second embodiment of the invention, the opening and contracting of traveling cleaner A is effected by electrically operable means in the form of a pair of solenoids 208, 201 whose coil-s are secured, in longitudinally aligned spaced relationship, to carriage plate 198 (FIGURES 9, 13,14 and 15).

The plungers of solenoids 200, 201 may have the distal ends of respective pairs of diverging links a, b pivotally connected thereto whose proximal ends are pivotally connected to cranks 204, 205. One of the pairs of links a, b is connected to crank 204 and the other pair of links a, b is connected to crank 205. Cranks 264, 265 extend outwardly and are fixed on respective stub shafts 286, 207 journaled in and extending downwardly through carriage plate 190. The lower ends of stub shafts 206, 207 have the proximal ends of respective cranks 210, 211 fixed thereon and extending outwardly in diverging relation therefrom. As best shown in FIGURE 15, the outer ends of cranks 210, 211 are pivotally mounted on the upper ends of respective posts c, (l which extend downwardly and are fixed to the respective ducts 88, 9t). 

1. A SELF-PROPELLED TRAVELING CLEANER ADAPTED TO TRAVEL OVER AT LEAST ONE ROW OF TEXTILE MACHINES AND COMBINING IN A SINGLE COMPACT UNITARY STRUCTURE INDEPENDENT SYSTEMS FOR BLOWING CLEANING AND SUCTION CLEANING, COMPRISING (A) A SINGLE HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED BLOWING HOUSING HAVING AT LEAST ONE AIR INLET SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE FLOOR FOR RECEIVING RELATIVELY CLEAN AIR AND ALSO HAVING AT LEAST TWO AIR OUTLETS, (1) A FLEXIBLE BLOWING AIR TUBE COMMUNICATIVELY CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID AIR OUTLETS WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TUBES DEPENDING INTO THE AISLE SPACE ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROW OF TEXTILE MACHINES AND HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN FOR DIRECTING BLOWING AIR TOWARD THE MACHINES FOR CLEANING; (2) A ROTARY BLOWING AIR IMPELLER MOUNTED IN THE BLOWING HOUSING ON A VERTICAL AXIS AND SAID IMPELLER BEING CONSTRUCTED TO PRODUCE BLOWING AIR STREAMS FLOWING FROM THE OPENINGS IN THE BLOWING AIR TUBES AT SUFFICIENT VELOCITIES AND VOLUMES TO BLOW LINT AND THE LIKE FROM THE TEXTILE MACHINES; (B) A SINGLE HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED SUCTION HOUSING HAVING AT LEAST TWO AIR INLETS AND AT LEAST ONE AIR OUTLET, 